Only five hundred years ago, Lord Krishna descended as Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu to teach the most sublime and effective means of meditation for the present day: the chanting of the names of God, especially as found in the Hare Krishna mantra. Today, all members of Lord Caitanya's movement continue His movement by distributing the teachings of Lord Krishna and the Hare Krishna mantra all over the world

The Grimsby & Cleethorpes UK Hare Krishna Society IPBYS is a small independent branch of Lord Caitanya's movement of Devotees, which can be found all over the planet and carries on in the modern world a great ancient tradition rooted in the Bhagavad-Gita, the teachings Lord Krishna spoke five thousand years ago. The Bhagavad-Gita and the other Vedic scriptures declare Krishna to be the original person, God Himself, who appears periodically in this world to liberate all living beings.

Although the Hare Krishna movement has only been established in the West since 1966, its roots extend tens of thousands of years into the planets past. The lifestyle and philosophical beliefs are based on ancient scriptures known as the Vedas. Originally preserved in the spoken word, the Vedas were written down in the Sanskrit language 5000 years ago.

Sanskrit, the ancient language of the Vedas

Their compiler, Srila Vyasadeva, divided the work into various departments of material and spiritual knowledge, entrusting his disciples with particular sections. In this way, the scriptures developed into four principal Vedas, including the Vedanta Sutra, 108 Upanishads, and 18 Puranas, collectively known as the "fifth Veda." The final Purana, the Bhagavat Purana or Srimad Bhagavatam, contains the essence of the Vedic wisdom in 18,000 verses. A further work was the Mahabharata, which includes the well-known Bhagavad gita. The process described in the Vedas is one of gradual elevation to the platform of God-realisation. Vedic wisdom was then carefully preserved and passed down for centuries through the tutorial vehicle of guru-parampara, a disciplic succession of self-realised teachers.

In the early 16th century, a remarkable spiritual renaissance took place within India. This was led by Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu who appeared in 1486. He was Lord Krishna Himself in the form of His own devotee. He challenged the religious leaders of his day whom he felt were stifling the teachings of Vedic knowledge. Caste-conscious priests alone had access to the Vedas and considered spiritual life the prerogative of an educated minority. Taking religion out of the temples and amongst the people, regardless of their caste, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu propagated devotion to Lord Krishna and pioneered a massive movement which swept the subcontinent, gaining a following of millions.

The ancient wisdom of the Puranas and Upanishads, through the practical teachings of Sri Chaitanya are now finding expression outside India in the Hare Krishna movement and the books of Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and Srila Bhaktivdanta Narayana Maharaja.

The Vedas are sacred to the 600 million members of Hinduism, the world's third largest religion. And Bhagavad gita, one of the essential texts of the Hare Krishna Movement, is often referred to as "The Bible of Hinduism." Yet the word "Hinduism," itself simply means the "ism" of India, the word "Hindu" first being used by the Persians to denote "those on the other side of the Indus river." As such, the term "Hinduism" describes not a single, monolithic religion, but a vast spectrum of diverse spiritual paths, tracing their origins to particular branches of the Vedas. The oldest and most cohesive of Vedic traditions is that of the Monotheistic sanatana dhama, "the eternal original teaching," academically known as Vaishnavism. As such Krishnas devotees, are also known as Vaishnavas

It is often assumed that the final goal of Indian spirituality is nirvana – the extinguishing of individual existence and the simultaneous absorption into an amorphous Absolute. This is not so, In the Bhagavad-Gita Lord Krishna reveals that the eternal self, the soul, can not be extinguished or annihilated in any way and that the goal of life is the awakening of the soul's eternal consciousness of Krishna, the personal form of the Absolute Truth.

In brief, Lord Krishna teaches, that

We are not our bodies, but eternal spirit souls (atma), parts and parcels of Him (Krishna). Although our nature is completely spiritual (brahman), we have temporarily forgotten our true identity.

Having lost touch with our original, pure and blissful consciousness, we are trying to achieve permanent happiness within a temporary world. Our attempts produce karmic reactions which cause us to remain within this world for repeated lifetimes (samsara).

By sincerely learning and following a genuine spiritual science (dharma) under the guidance of a self-realised teacher, we can be free from anxiety and come to a state of pure, blissful enlightenment in this lifetime.

Krishna is eternal, all-knowing, omnipresent, all-powerful and all-attractive. He is the seed-giving father of all living beings and He is the sustaining energy of the entire cosmic creation.

Our dormant relationship with Krishna can he reawakened by the practice of bhakti-yoga, the science of spiritualizing our activities (excluding some) by dedicating them to the Supreme. This ancient bhakti yoga system gradually frees us from the entanglement of karma, and thereby the cycle of birth and death.

The Bhagavad-Gita states that life does not begin at birth nor end with death. It is eternal. The soul is constantly transmigrating from one body to another according to its desires and quality of activities (karma). The Vedas further explain that the soul in the material world moves through a cycle of 8,400,000 forms of life. The human form, however, is the only birth which affords one the chance for self-realisation. Lower-than-human species are not endowed with sufficient intelligence to understand the self as different from the body.

Members of the Hare Krishna movement practise mantra meditation. In Sanskrit, manah means "mind" and tra means "freeing". A mantra is a combination of words that is meant to relieve the mind of anxieties arising from wordly entanglement. Vedic literature compares the mind to a mirror, and our present state of spiritual forgetfulness to a mirror which has accumulated dust. Mantra meditation clears the dust from the mirror of the mind so that we can see our original self. When our spiritual nature is inwardly perceived, then the anxieties caused by illusion cease, and we experience spiritual happiness.

Because the Vedas refer to it as the maha – mantra or "Great Mantra". This sixteen-word mantra is especially recommended as the easiest method for self-realization in the present age. Krishna is a Sanskrit name of God meaning "all attractive", and Rama is another name meaning "reservoir of pleasure". The divine energy of God is addressed as Hare. Vedic knowledge teaches that since we are all constitutionally servants of God, the chanting of His names is not an artificial imposition on the mind but is as natural as a child calling for its mother. There are two ways to chant the maha mantra:group chanting (kirtan) and softly saying the mantra to oneself (japa). The latter is done by using a string of 108 wooden prayer beads to enhance concentration. In both methods there are no hard and fast rules, and anyone can chant with good results.

Reading (Shravanarn)

Reading provides the intellectual satisfaction that is essential to developing faith in any spiritual practise. Without a comprehensive body of philosophical knowledge, any religious tradition can easily become a system of unfounded beliefs and rituals. Vedic literature offers logical answers to profound questions, and when carefully studied, books like Bhagavad-Gita will allow the inquisitive reader an opportunity to explore many new ideas and concepts.

The books of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada are translations and commentaries upon India's timeless spiritual classics, written over a period of twenty years. His writings comprise a complete course of study in bhakti-yoga,and are the basis of the spiritual lives of Hare Krishna members around the world.

Studies usually begin with Bhagavad-Gita, Isopanishad, Srimad Bhagavatam and The Teachings of Lord Chaitanya. Devotees study at least a few minutes daily, reserving a quiet period when they can read without disturbance.

Chanting (Kirtanam)

Recitation of the Hare Krishna mantra is the essential practise of Krishna consciousness. Devotees may spend from 10 minutes to 2 hours per day chanting japa. Once around the circle of 108 beads is called a "round" and devotees will chant anywhere between one and sixteen "rounds" per day as their time and inclination permits. Chanting is done either sitting or walking, usually in the morning. At first the language of the mantra may feel strange but as the profound nature of the sound vibration is experienced any feelings of awkwardness disappear.

Anyone who chants with sincerity, pronouncing the words distinctly and listening attentively, will become peaceful and experience a sense of happiness. One who continues the process becomes advanced in the techniques of mantra meditation and enjoys the awakening of the soul's natural, original qualities of eternity, knowledge, and bliss.

Friendship (Sat-sangam)

Our friendships have tremendous influence upon the way we think and act. We may enthusiastically take to a more spiritual way of life, but if our friendships with others are not similarly transformed, our personal development may become checked. Associating with others who are spiritually inclined is therefore one of the most important and rewarding aspects of the Hare Krishna way of life.

New members of HARE KRISHNA SOCIETY – IPBYS usually start off by linking up with others in the same town or county. Regular meetings take place in many parts of the world, even where there is no temple, in hired rooms or devotee's homes. see Grimsby Meetings People are often surprised when they come to these meetings to find themselves developing very gratifying friendships.

Apart from local meetings, members cultivate friendships with others through correspondence, or by hosting visits, from traveling teachers. large events like the yearly London Chariot Festival (Rathayatra) are social and spiritual gatherings where thousands of members meet up both to celebrate and enjoy each others company. The network of Krishna centres, meetings, shops and temples, is steadily growing. As it does, many more people are discovering the personal benefits of being part of a spiritual community. Worldwide Centres

Remembering (Smaranam)

The aim of Krishna consciousness is to cultivate a constant flow of awakened states of consciousness wherein we remember our spiritual identity and our relationship with Krishna. Vaishnavas therefore begin the day with a combination of practices, which help to focus the mind spiritually. Rising early, bathing, japa meditation and study, all purify the mind from its sleepiness and create a mental state suitable for an entire day of spiritual progress.

The Vedic literature teaches that our daily actions should lead us to develop valuable personal qualities such as peacefulness, tolerance, honesty and compassion. To this end, members also adopt regulative principles like vegetarianism as part of their personal lifestyle. In this way, even our most basic daily function of eating, can be an integral part of our spiritual path.

The Vedic scriptures establish non-violence (ahimsa), as the ethical foundation of vegetarianism. According to the Vedas, God is the Supreme Father of all creatures, not just humans. Therefore, the slaughter of innocent animals is considered equivalent to killing one's brother or sister.

Hare Krishna devotees follow a wholesome diet, which excludes meat, Fish and eggs. Although it may be argued that vegetarians are guilty of killing vegetables, vegetarian foods such as fruits, nuts, milk, and grains do not require killing. But even when a plant's life is taken, the pain it experiences is dramatically less than that of a highly sensitive animal such as a cow or lamb.

According to the law of karma, nature's law of action and reaction, human beings must suffer for any kind of killing that is against God's laws. For this reason, as well as to show recognition and appreciation for the Supreme Proprietor and supplier of all foodstuffs, devotees prepare vegetarian meals as devotional offerings to Krishna. Such spiritualised food is then called prasadam ("the mercy of Krishna"), which can be fully enjoyed.

It is not necessary to look like this, there are millions of devotees worldwide, who don't live in the temples and wear regular cloth and hair syles, because of their circumstances.

Shaven heads and orange robes actually pre-date Buddhism by many centuries. In Vedic culture a person dressed according to his or her social and spiritual position. Simple robes, although external, have traditionally been worn to help cultivate humility and freedom from vanity.

In keeping with this reasoning, the Hare Krishna Movement has retained certain elements of Vedic tradition wherever practical. Following this principle, women in Hare Krishna communities wear the traditional saree, while men wear robes known as dhotis.

Young men who have gone forward to observe a celibate student life and train as monks wear saffron colored robes; married men wear white. Most choose to shave their heads leaving a single lock of hair in the back called a sikha. This is done as a sign of renunciation and surrender to Krishna, as well as for cleanliness and simplicity. The U-shaped marking of clay on the forehead is known as tilak, and is made with a yellow clay from the banks of sacred rivers in India. Together with these traditional ascetic practices, fully committed devotees of Krishna, whether residing in a temple community or not, also abstain from all types of intoxication, and do not gamble or have sexual relationships outside of marriage.

The activities of the members of HARE KRISHNA SOCIETY – IPBYS are as varied as their strikingly diverse lifestyles. For instance, although most members are naturally vegetarian, all other practises are a matter of their personal choice and commitment. Thus one member of HARE KRISHNA SOCIETY – IPBYS lives in a religious community, rises at 4 o'clock in the morning, and leads a strict monastic life, while another cares for a young family or works in a busy office. The circumstances may vary greatly but the basic aim is the same.

Most scriptures of the world, and particularly the Vedas, extol the chanting of God's names as a powerful means of spiritual realization. Someone who enjoys their spiritual life naturally feels inclined to share it with others. This enthusiasm caused the founder of HARE KRISHNA SOCIETY – IPBYS to not only teach Krishna consciousness, but to organize his early students as a formal society for the purpose of teaching others. Devotees of Krishna, therefore will often be found in public places performing sankirtana, by chanting with musical instruments, as done by Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu just over 500 years ago.

local meetings, centres, shops and the associated activities
Free book distribution of transcendental literature and book tables all over the world
Community outreach to teach Krishna Meditation to all.

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Questions and answers

THE THOUGHT OF THE DAY

BY THEIR FRUITS YOU WILL KNOW THEM
"Thoughts are like seeds. Loving and happy thoughts produce beautiful flowers and nourishing fruits; or thoughts can be spiteful and depressed, producing painful thorns and poisonous weeds. We can master our thoughts by directing our Self towards Krishna Meditation, by which the mind becomes our greatest friend. The fruits of this meditation are love of God, divine happiness and contentment."

DOGS PHILOSOPHY
"So you know the story, that one dog was crossing over a small rivulet, and he saw the picture of another dog in the water. And actually, there was no dog. He was carrying some food in his mouth, and he saw another dog within the water. So he thought, "Let me take his foodstuff from the mouth," and as he opened the mouth, he wanted to take the other dog's foodstuff, so whatever he had, gone. You see? This is dog philosophy, "Take away." Take other's meal; he loses his own. This is called illusion, māyā. You did not read this, Aesop's Fable story? It is very instructive story. This is dog's philosophy. This is dog's philosophy. All these so-called empire... This Roman Empire was expanded. The British Empire was expanded. Now they have lost everything. Finished. Finished. The dog's business was finished. So this kind of expansion, unnecessarily... Therefore our philosophy is "Be satisfied whatever God has given you." Tena tyaktena bhuñjīthā mā gṛdhaḥ kasya svid dhanam [Īśopanisad mantra 1]. You be satisfied whatever is given to you by God, allotted to you. Don't try to encroach upon other's property. This is civilization."Srila Prabhupada

THE GREATEST OF DANCERS
Wearing a peacock-feather ornament upon His head, blue karnikara flowers on His ears, a yellow garment as brilliant as gold, and the Vaijayanti garland, Lord Krsna exhibited His transcendental form as the greatest of dancers as He entered the forest of Vrndavana, beautifying it with the marks of His footprints. He filled the holes of His flute with the nectar of His lips, and the cowherd boys sang His glories." Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.21.5

THE VIBRATION OF KRISHNA'S FLUTE
Hearing the vibration of Sri Krsna's flute, the bulls, cows and deer of Vrindavana approach Him. Unable to swallow the grass which they had taken into their mouths, they stand silently with their ears raised and appear like animals in a painting. SB 10.35.5

TAKE KRISHNA AND YOU WILL BE HAPPYWe want to be happy, with so many ideas. Everyone is making his own idea. But the rascals, they do not know that, what is the actual process for getting happiness...that is Krsna. That they do not know, na te viduh svartha-gatim hi visnum durasaya ye bahir-artha-maninah[SB 7.5.31]. You can see in your country, they are trying so many things, so many skyscraper buildings, so many motor cars, so many big, big cities, but there is no happiness. Because they do not know what is missing. That missing point we are giving. Here it is, "You take Krsna and you will be happy." This is our Krsna consciousness. Krsna and the living entity, they are very intimately connected. Like father and son, or friend and friend, or master and servant, like that. We are very much intimately connected. But because we have forgotten our intimate relationship with Krsna, and trying to become happy in this material world, therefore we have to undergo so much tribulation. This is the position. Krsna bhuliya jiva bhoga vancha k From Srila Prabhupada S.B. Lecture 1.15.1

I AM BOUND BY AFFECTION FOR THEM
Lord Krishna said “I am equal to all living beings and am neither inimical nor
partial to anyone. But as those who approach Me with bhakti are attached to Me, so too I am bound by affection for them.” Source Bhagavad Gita 9.29.

BE CAREFUL
You are what your deep driving desire is. As your desire is so, so is your will.
As your will is so, so is your deed. As your deed is so, so is your destiny.
Source.. Brihadaranyaka Upanishad

ELEVATING ONES CONSCIOUSNESS
Although our state of mind is seen through the nature of our activities (how we
dress, eat, talk etc.), the type of activities we perform also affects our state
of mind. This means we can elevate our consciousness by elevating the nature of
our activities. All spiritual activities should help us to free our
consciousness from illusion and direct it towards God. A devotee of Krishna
accepts the regulations of spiritual life as ‘regulative principles of freedom’,
as tools for advancing personal character development and to attain a blissful
spiritual consciousness

CONSIDER THIS DEEPLY
Killing animals and eating them, among many other activities, which harm any
living entity in any way, is one of the worst things a person can do to create
negative karma for himself. Our present karmic reactions, happiness and
distress, all have their origin in our present or past life’s positive or
negative, kind or unkind activities. Therefore a sane person should always
consider this deeply before acting, and with great determination and for his own
benefit, remove himself from negative activity. Even if the whole world objects
and is against it, one should reject all that is even remotely associated with
causing harm to life.

WE ARE NOT ONE
The Jiva, the real self, does not become one with God, or indeed anything, even
after he has attained complete Liberation. The soul retains his individuality
under any circumstance. After death or here in this World or hovering on the
ghostly plane, existing in heaven or in the transcendental World. There is no
situation anywhere, in which the soul can be destroyed or loose his eternal
individuality, to think it can, is an illusion.

WE ARE IN FORGETFULNESS
The spirit souls attached to material life, cannot easily comprehend spiritual
attachment, nor can they have any experience of it. In reality, it is the souls
true function and eternal nature. However, we have become engrossed in
attachment to matter which causes us to forget, that we are actually a spiritual
particle of consciousness. This is a miserable condition, although hardly any of
the Souls who are thus entangled in birth old age disease and death, think so.

HE HAS AN ETERNAL FORM
5000 years ago, Lord Krishna spoke about the meaning of life, the subtle
workings of creation, and the understanding of a self- realized soul. He spoke
of the science of yoga in all its forms, the path of work, the path of
knowledge, the path of mysticism, the path of devotion. And at last Lord Krishna
revealed Himself before Arjuna as the source of everything, His eternal form as
the Supreme Lord.

HE IS VERY CLOSE
The Supreme Lord is situated in everyone’s heart, O Arjuna, and is directing the
wanderings of all living entities, who are seated as on a machine, made of the
material energy. Bhagavad Gita 18.61
Dr. Daniel Coleman, associate editor of Psychology Today and author of The
Varieties of Meditative Experiences.

THREE TYPES OF DISCUSSION
In a vada discussion the motive of all concerned is to find out the truth. This
is the ideal kind of discussion. It is for persons who are sober and impartial
about the outcome; they simply want to know what is the truth of the matter.
They are in the mode of goodness.

PraJalpa is a discussion wherein one is not interested in what is said by
others, whether it has some truth or all of the truth, because one simply wants
to be heard. Any other view or contribution is of no interest. This is the way
for a person in the mode of passion.

A vitanda discussion is in the mode of ignorance. In this version the truth
is of no value. One simply wants to win at all costs.

By Srila Jiva Gosvami, Sri-Sat-SandarbhaGOD CONSCIOUSNESS IS EVERYONE’S ORIGINAL CONSCIOUSNESS
Krishna Consciousness is not an artificial transformation. Our original
consciousness is God consciousness, but now our consciousness is covered with so
many identifications, situations and problems. Our consciousness is like water.
Water is by nature clear and transparent, but sometimes it becomes muddy. If you
filter all the mud out of the water, it again comes to its original clear,
transparent state. This is the result of Krishna meditation.WHAT GOES ROUND…COMES AROUND
You are what your deep driving desire is, as your desire is so, so is your will,
as your will is so, so is your deed, as your deed is so, so is your destiny.
“Isopanishads”SPECULATIVE PHILOSOPHERS
Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada said: Neither the scientists nor
speculative philosophers have yet arrived at any conclusion concerning the
cosmic situation. All they have done is posit different theories about it. Some
of them say that the material world is real, others say that it is a dream, and
yet others say that it is ever existing. In this way different views are held by
mundane scholars.LIMITED CONSCIOUSNESS AND UNLIMITED CONSCIOUSNESS
The difference between God and the individual soul is, that the individual
spiritual soul is localized to one place and is situated inside the heart. Our
consciousness is limited to pervade just this one body. But Krishna has Super
Consciousness, He is unlimitedly all knowing. With a small fragment of Himself,
He pervades and maintains entire universes. In this way the theory that the soul
and God are one, is rejected and not acceptable. A person who imagines that he
has become all pervading, thinking himself to be God, is in illusion and
deluding himself.THE ROAD TO BHAKTI
By Srila Bhaktivinodha Thakura
When that suffering becomes excessive, it gives rise to a search for happiness.
From that desire, discrimination arises, and from discrimination, the tendency
for inquiry is born. As a result of this, one attains sat-sanga (the association
of saintly people), where upon sraddha develops. When sraddha is born, the jiva
ascends to a higher stage, namely the path of bhakti.
Exerpt From Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharajas Translation Of The Book Jaiva
DharmaREAL MEDITATION
By Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Prabhupada.
At first, remembrance of Krsna may be interrupted at intervals, but later
remembrance proceeds uninterrupted. When remembrance is uninterrupted, it
becomes concentrated and is called meditation. When meditation expands and
becomes constant, it is called anusmrti. By uninterrupted and unceasing anusmrti
one enters the stage of samadhi, or spiritual trance. After smarana-dasa or
samadhi has fully developed, the soul comes to understand his original
constitutional position. At that time he can perfectly and clearly understand
his eternal relationship with Krsna. That is called sampatti-dasa, the
perfection of life.”

ONENESS AND DIFFERENCE
Though we come in various forms and though we are all individual personalities,
we all come from the same source and we are of the same spiritual substance as
Krishna. “Tattva” means reality, principle, and truth. He is beginning less and
we are all also eternal entities, one with Krishna in quality, and different in
quantity, we are simultaneously one with and different from Him, we are eternal
parts and parcels of God.

REALIZING OUR SPIRITUAL IDENTITY
Human life is awarded to the living entity the soul, to realize his spiritual
identity and his permanent source of happiness. The human beings seek happiness
because happiness is our original situation. But he is vainly seeking happiness
in the material atmosphere. We are constitutionally spiritual by nature and
therefore our happiness can be perfectly perceived in Bhakti Yoga

SAMADHI
In the stage of perfection called trance, or samādhi, one’s mind is completely
restrained from material mental activities by practice of bhakti yoga. This
perfection is characterized by one’s ability to see the Self by the pure mind
and to relish and rejoice in the Self.

QUALITIES TO STRIVE FOR
Peacefulness austerity purity tolerance honesty knowledge wisdom and religious
ness.These are the natural qualities by which the Brahmans work.

MATERIAL REALITY
Material life is non-eternal, and hence its impression of being substantive is
an illusion in form of a super-imposition on the eternal spiritual self.
Material knowledge is not real knowledge because it does not inform about real
eternal life and latest at the time of death it is exposed as useless. Material
so-called bliss is not real bliss because it is temporary, and when it ends, it
results in suffering.”

IT’S PERSONAL
The heat and luminosity of the sun’s rays demonstrate to any rational person
that the sun, the source of the rays, is not a dark, cold globe but rather a
reservoir of almost unlimited heat and light. Similarly, the innumerable
instances of personality and personal consciousness within creation are more
than adequate to demonstrate the existence, somewhere, of an unlimited reservoir
of consciousness and personal behavior which is that of Krishna.

NOT MUCH TIME
This human life is very short. Therefore, like the traveler in a guesthouse,
the living entity the spiritual soul, must diligently prepare for spiritual
realization during Its stay in this human body and its limited lifespan. Isn’t
it foolish to waste time trying to improve arrangements at the guesthouse during
one’s short visit, without concern for one’s destination?

A MOST IMPORTANT ANSWER
Who am I?’ This is the first question which arises in the heart of a person
seeking the highest good. If one makes a mistake in assessing one’s true
identity, then one will make errors when it comes to determining the ultimate
goal of life. If one makes an error in determining the ultimate goal of life,
then everything done, every effort made, will simply be wasted.

NOT THIS BODY
The teaching of the spiritual self beyond the material body solves the problems
of racism (which has led to billions of war, slavery and genocide victims),
nationalism, sexism, various psychological and sexual disorders and all other
prejudices and problems arising from bodily identification. The practice of
Bhakti yoga and chanting of Hare Krishna, in the right association, will bring
about proof and direct realization of ones authentic self

SKELETONISM
The big obstacle to human progress is skeletonism or the faith that ‘I am the
material body and reality consists only of what the material body perceives’. In
this way one blocks the path to the deeper truth which is perceivable only to
the spiritual senses and not to the gross senses. The basic human misconception
is that the physical body is the self, which naturally leads to an increasing
crisis of the self.

THE LOVER AND THE BELOVED
The lover, the individual soul, is eternal; the beloved, the Supreme Soul, is
eternal; and the loving relationship, bhakti, is also eternal, it is the
original function of the soul. Thus, this Bhakti yoga re-establishes
consciously, the original loving relationship between the Supreme Soul and the
individual soul. It is our unfortunate predicament, that we have forgotten this
wonderful truth, because we are falsely thinking ourselves to be products of
this material plane.

AWAKENING OF THE HEART
As the sun begins to rise, even before it is visible it dissipates the darkness
of night. With the first glimpse of sunlight, fear of thieves, ghosts, and
demons immediately disappears, and when the sun is actually visible, everything
is manifest and everyone begins performing his religious activities and
regulative duties. Similarly, the first hint that offense less chanting of the
Lord’s holy name has awakened dissipates the reactions of sinful life
immediately.

A GRADUAL PROCESS
The gradual process of elevation for self-realization is meant for those who
have realized, that there must be an Absolute Truth. After repeated birth and
deaths on this path, which is known as deva-yāna, one attains these consecutive
stages. Finally one becomes completely situated in ones blissful self, and need
not traverse the path of repeated birth and death anymore

MY LORD IS A PERSON
Although He is non-dual, infallible, beginningless, possessed of unlimited forms
and the oldest of all, nevertheless, He is a beautiful person with everlasting,
fresh youthfulness. Although He is incomprehensible through study of the Vedas,
He is easily attained by spontaneous devotion of the soul (shuddha-prema) I
worship that original personality, Shri Govinda, Krishna

OUR INNERMOST HANKERING
The innermost hankering of every soul is for Beauty, Love, Affection and
Harmony; Not for knowledge, power belongings or anything else. Please chant Hare
Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare; Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama
Hare Hare. This maha mantra cleanses the dust from the mirror of the mind and
awakens us to a pure life of loving devotion to the Lord free from all
anxieties.